the_darkest_mindsfandomcom-20200214-history
Samantha Dahl
Samantha "Sam" Dahl is a Green who was previously incarcerated at Thurmond. She was Ruby's closest friend in the camp – until Ruby accidentally erased her memories of their friendship. Biography Early Life Sam grew up on Greenwood Lane in the small town of Bedford, Virginia, with her unamed parents. Her father was a pious man, who believed in God as a being who only came to earth to execute justice, and her mother was a weak-willed woman who only did whatever her husband wanted. She was close friends with their neighbors, the Orfeo's, whose son, Lucas, became her romantic interest in Sparks Rise. Sam, Lucas, and his younger sister Mia used to play in the treehouse Mr. Orfeo built for them, which they called Greenwood, and would play out fantasy stories Lucas would write. The Collections When the IAAN pandemic broke out and the economy crashed, the Orfeos moved away from their home in Bedford due to foreclosure, breaking Sam's heart as much as Lucas and Mia's. At some point after the Orfeos left, Sam's Psi abilities manifested; she realized she had developped a perfect memory, an aptitude that classified her as Green. After discovering Sam's powers, Mr. and Mrs. Dahl believed that their Psi daughter was a punishment sent from God to them because of humanity's sins and decided to get rid of her. One morning, they sent her to school on a Collection day - a day on which PSFs would come to the schools and take to camps all Psi children - and she was taken to Thurmond. The Darkest Minds Sam is shown as a very brave person who isn't afraid to take risks for her friends, including occasionally standing up against the PSFs in Thurmond. She is introduced to the book when her and Ruby both get rounded up together, and are beside each other during an Orange's escape attempt. During this, she easily stands out among the other girls – catching Ruby's attention and eventually both becoming best friends. This friendship continues for 5 years, until one day, Ruby gets teased and humiliated by a PSF. When Sam stands up for Ruby, Ruby backs out, ultimately leading to her punishment. She returns to the cabin after a few days, and Ruby, trying to comfort her, erases her memories of her. It's at this time that Sam asks for her name and crushes the urge to ever talk to Ruby, now a stranger to her, ever again. They both don't talk to each other for nearly a year before Ruby is snuck out of Thurmond with the help of the Children's League. In The Afterlight When Ruby turns herself in to the PSFs, she returns to Cabin 27, her former cabin. Sam, along with the other Green girls, ultimately make an appearance when they return from their duties, seeing Ruby for the first time in a long while. During Ruby's stay, Sam asks her to undo what she's done to her to make her forget. Ruby restores Sam's memories of her completely, and the two hold hands as they sleep. Before Ruby had escaped to the Control Tower, she entrusted Sam to go with the scene she made as an excuse for her to be pulled away. Through only eye contact, Sam understands and plays along. When Thurmond finally falls, Sam makes no other appearance. Through The Dark In Sparks Rise, Sam is reunited with her childhood best friend Lucas Orfeo after he and his fellow Reds are posted at Thurmond and reconnects with him. They attempt a daring escape, but they fail. Sam is left with a limp due to a snakebite, and Lucas is reprogrammed by the Trainers. In Beyond The Night, Sam finds Mia and Lucas and they head to Greenwood to restore his happy memories. They meet up with Ruby and Co, and with her Orange abilities, save Lucas and set out on a mission to save the other Reds trapped by the Trainer's influence. Personality Sam is shown as fearless and brave, always sticking up for Ruby when the PSFs tormented her. She is seen to be a fierce, determined girl with a strong hatred for the camp. She is protective of younger Ruby and acted as Ruby's only true friend growing up in Thurmond. Sam is shown as full of grit and kindness towards the protagonist. In The Darkest Minds, it reads, '"We'll be fine," Sam had told me one night, just before they turned the lights out. "No matter what--you hear me?"' (27). Physical Description Sam is described by Ruby in The Darkest Minds, where she says she has long tangled dark blond hair, and fierce-looking dark eyes. She has a small pink scar that curves between her top lip and her nose, and the first time Ruby sees her, she notices that someone had cut the wires from her braces, but had left the metal nubs glued to her front teeth. Relationships Ruby Daly Sam and Ruby were best friends during their incarceration at Thurmond. Lucas Orfeo Sam and Lucas were childhood best-friends before Lucas moved away and Sam got sent to Thurmond.Category:Characters Category:Greens